A key member of the new wave of female French directors, Claire Denis toiled for more than 10 years as an assistant director before winning international acclaim with her first feature film, "Chocolat" (1988), a semi-autobiographical tale of a young French girl in Africa. "Chocolat", co-written with Jean-Pol Fargeau, was a meditation on colonialism. The woman returning to Africa is driven by an American black and the intertwining of their stories links the pair to the continent through issues of native identity. It was the official French entry in the Cannes Film Festival.

A key member of the new wave of female French directors, Claire Denis toiled for more than 10 years as an assistant director before winning international acclaim with her first feature film, "Chocolat" (1988), a semi-autobiographical tale of a young French girl in Africa. "Chocolat", co-written with Jean-Pol Fargeau, was a meditation on colonialism. The woman returning to Africa is driven by an American black and the intertwining of their stories links the pair to the continent through issues of native identity. It was the official French entry in the Cannes Film Festival.

Worked as production assistant for director Robert Enrico on "Le Vieux fusil/The Hidden Gun"

1978:

Was first assistant director for Alain Fleischer on "Zoo-Zero"

1979:

Acting debut in "Mais ou et donc ornicar"

1984:

Was first assistant director for Wim Wenders on "Paris, Texas"

1988:

Again worked with Wenders on "Wings of Desire"

1988:

Co-wrote and directed first feature film, "Chocolat"

1989:

Made "Man No Run", a documentary on the tour of the African band Les Tetes Brulees

1989:

Directed first TV project, "Jacques Rivette, le veilleur"

1990:

Returned to fiction, scripting and directing "No Fear, No Die"

1996:

Directed and wrote "Nenette et Boni"

1999:

Received widespread praise for her lyrical "Beau Travail", loosely adapted from "Billy Budd"

2000:

Helmed the thriller "Trouble Every Day", starring Vincent Gallo; released theatrically in USA in 2002

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Education

Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographiques:
- 1971

Notes

"For many whites, I think Africa remains the magic continent. But the experience of whites is always the same: we approach, approach, approach, but we never quite reach the heart of Africa. In 'Chocolat', I always tried to maintain only the perspectives of the whites. I just didn't think I should pretend to understand the black point of view." --Claire Denis in THE NEW YORK TIMES, c. 1988